Cancer survivor 'helps the hoo-hahs'

Libby Malphrus and Sandy Hull are a daughter and mother who were diagnosed with GYN cancers within two months of each other. The duo decided to start Help the Hoo-hahs to raise awareness in the community.

With a slogan of “Help the Hoo-hahs,” Libby Malphrus of Ridgeland is raising more awareness about gynecologic cancers.

Malphrus wants to get ride of the stigma that comes with being diagnosed with a GYN cancer and give a support to the local community members who have been affected.

Encouraged by the efforts of Susan G. Komen who led the awareness of breast cancer, Malphrus wanted people to know the signs of GYN cancers but take a different approach so more people would be open to talk about it.

“I’d seen so many classic support groups and I wanted to make it fun because when an organization is too serious, people rather not talk about their cancers,” Malphrus said. “With the Save the Tatas slogan, it reaches a broad community and I wanted to do the same with Help the Hoo-hahs.”

Malphrus works with high-risk pregnancy patients at Memorial University Medical Center in Savannah as a prenatal genetic counselor. She’d heard women refer to anything below the belt as a “hoo-hah” and decided it was the perfect term to use for her awareness organization.

Help the Hoo-hahs organization also raises money to support women financially. So far this year, the group has raised more than $20,000 even before the annual 5K race, which will be held Sept. 28.

Help the Hoo-hahs organization wasn’t started just for others though; it was a way to cope with the GYN cancers that were personally affecting Malphrus and her family.

BEING DIAGNOSED

Diagnosed within two months of each other, Malphrus and her mother, Sandy Hull, walked side by side in a battle with GYN cancers.

A specialist at Memorial University Medical Center discovered Hull had a rare GYN cancer called primary peritoneal cancer. Primary peritoneal cancer is biologically the same as ovarian cancer and is treated the same way.

After undergoing chemotherapy treatments and Malphrus knowing her mother was battling a tough fight, she visited her gynecologist for a yearly check-up.

“You’ve lost all your parts that make you a woman and it’s something internal so people don’t see what you’ve gone through,” Malphrus said. “And I still have side effects from the surgery but I’m very lucky to be alive.”

Malphrus’s mother died in June at 58 years old after the cancer returned in December 2012. Malphrus hopes to be a voice for the women who have lost their lives and those who continue to fight against the GYN cancers.

BEING A VOICE

By starting the organization, Malphrus has received a lot of feedback from women across the country. She discovered many GYN cancer patients were struggling to talk about their diagnosis.

Malphrus said she couldn’t imagine not having the support of her mother during her diagnosis and surgery.

“I’ve received so many emails from women across the country who have no one by their side and keep their cancer hidden,” Malphrus said. “There are young and older women who are fighting this on their own and maybe haven’t had children and won’t ever. Help the Hoo-Hahs is a way for those women to have support and be open about what they’re going through.”

Malphrus is fortunate to have a 7-year-old daughter, Grace, who understands what her mother and grandma went through. Malphrus said it is important for parents to be aware that there is a way to prevent cancer through the HPV vaccination.

“I know there’s a lot of controversy about the vaccination and the side effects but there’s an advantage for giving it,” Malphrus said. “I hope my daughter never has to experience what I and her gammy went through.”

Malphrus has a large group of supporters connected to Help the Hoo-has. Courtney Tate met Malphrus in graduate school and recently moved to Bluffton. Tate has delved into the organization becoming Malphrus’ cheerleader and supporter.

“I strongly believe in the power of education and awareness, that ‘knowledge is power,’ and I enjoy being a part of making that happen in our community with Help the Hoo-Hahs,” Tate said. “And while the topic of GYN cancers and the mission of the organization are serious topics, there is an element of ‘fun’ working with this organization to make a difference in our community.”

Tate said for those women diagnosed with GYN cancers and are currently undergoing current treatment, Help the Hoo-Hahs is making a difference in the lives of local women in the community by offering them 360 degree support — emotionally, mentally, educationally and physically.

FUNDRAISING FOR HOO-HAHS

The organization is hosting a movie viewing at the Cinemark Theatre in Bluffton on Sept. 26. The documentary, “No Evidence of Disease,” is about a band that is made up of six gynecologists who educate and raise awareness in communities.

Malphrus said it is an upbeat, positive message that more people need to see. The movie showing will begin at 7 p.m. but local survivors will share stories beginning at 6:30 p.m.

For the third year, Help the Hoo-hahs’ 5K race will be held at the end of September since it is National Ovarian Cancer Awareness month. Malphrus said more than 350 children, women and families participated in the race last year on Hutchison Island and hopes to gather more than 400 this year.

“The organization is all about helping locally and all the money gathered will go directly to providing gift cards or gas cards to help families travel to doctor visits and whatever else is needed,” Malphrus said. “It’s a very deadly cancer and there needs to be more openness to talk about it. Help the Hoo-hahs is hopefully doing just that in a fun, supportive way.”

IF YOU GO

What: Movie showing of “No Evidence of Disease”

When: 6:30 p.m. Sept. 26

Where: Cinemark Theatre, 106 Buckwalter Parkway

Cost: $11

Details: Tickets can only be purchased online. Go to helpthehoohahs.com, under “coming events” there will be a link to purchase tickets.

Comments are welcome, so long as they are civil. A Facebook account is required. Abuse may result in the commenter being permanently blocked. Personal attacks are strictly prohibited. We reserve the right to remove any comments at any time.